Intro to Art: Guided Notes

Elements and Principles of Design: Building blocks to create a work of art. The ELEMENTS make
up an art work. Good or bad, art pieces usually contain most of the seven elements of design. The
PRINCIPLES can be thought of what we do to the elements of design. How we apply the principles
determines how successful we are in creating an art piece

Elements of Design
● Size: the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another
● Line: A form with width and length, but no depth. Artist use lines to create edges and outlines of
objects. Created by the movement of artist’s pen
○ Lines used to follow the edges of forms are called contour drawings.
○ Drawings that show more movement than actual outline are called gesture drawings
○ Lines can be used as value to create dimensions in a 3D drawing
● Texture: the surface quality of an object. We experience texture when we touch objects. Texture is
used as an artist’s way to create impressions on a 2D picture.
● Color: occurs when light from different wavelengths hit our eyes. Colors appear different
depending on whether you view them under incandescent, fluorescent or natural sunlight. Colors
also change according to their surroundings. You can see this by looking at the color squares
below - the reddish outline box is the same color in all the examples.
○ Hue is another word for color
○ primary colors used are yellow, blue and red.
○ These three colors are blended together to produce other colors, called secondary colors,
such as green, orange and purple.
○ Color can have value
○ Intensity can be referred to as the brightness of a hue
○ Color schemes can include Monochromatic, Analogous, complementary, and triadic
○ Discordant colors are visually disturbing - we say they clash.
● Shape: A shape is a self contained, defined area of geometric or organic form.
○ A positive shape in a painting automatically creates a negative shape.
○ Shape is considered to be a two-dimensional element, while three-dimensional elements
have volume or mass.
○ shapes that the artist has placed are considered the positive shapes. The spaces around the
shapes are the negative spaces.
● Space: The illusion of depth in an artwork
○ Since objects in our environment look smaller when they are farther away, the easiest way
to show depth is to vary the size of objects, with closer objects being larger and more
distant objects being smaller.
○ When objects are partially obscured by other objects in front of them, we perceive them as
further back than the covering objects.
○ Atmospheric perspective uses color and value contrasts to show depth.
 ○ Linear perspective is based on the idea that all lines will converge on a common point on
the horizon called the vanishing point. Artists use linear perspective to create a focal point
for a picture. Any walls, ceilings, floors or other objects with lines will appear to come
together at the horizon line.
● Value: Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a certain area. Value can be used for
emphasis.
○ Gradations of value are also used to create the illusion of depth.

Principles of Design
● Balance: When objects are of equal weight, they are in balance.
○ Symmetrical balance is mirror image balance. Both sides of the artwork are equal in
balance
○ Asymmetrical balance occurs when several smaller items on one side are balanced by a
large item on the other side, or smaller items are placed further away from the center of the
screen than larger items.
● Contrast: Contrast is the juxtaposition of opposing elements
● Gradation: Gradation can add interest and movement to a shape.
○ Gradation of size and direction produce linear perspective.
○ Gradation of of color from warm to cool and tone from dark to light produce aerial
perspective.
● Emphasis: One method used to attract attention in the design of a page or work of art is the use
of a focal point. A focal point draws your attention to the most important element on the page.
● Unity: Classic design theory discusses unity in terms of the objects present in a piece of art.
Regarded in this way, unity discusses the need to tie the various elements of a work of art together.
○ Proximity: The simplest method of making objects appear to belong together is to group
them closely together.
○ Repetition of color, shape, texture or object can be used to tie a work together.
○ A much more subtle method of unifying a work involves the continuation of line, edge or
direction from one area to another.